George Smith — Founder, Klickify Agency
You're organizing a community festival. You need QR codes for ticket sales, event schedules, volunteer check-in, and sponsor links. You look at event QR code providers. They want $29 per month for "event packages." $59 for "premium." $199 for "enterprise." Your festival has no budget for software – every dollar goes to porta-potties and sound systems.
I built Truly Free QR for exactly this situation. Events have temporary needs but permanent costs. You don't need a subscription. You need a few QR codes that work for a weekend and then you never use them again. Or you need codes that you can update as the event schedule changes.
Truly Free QR gives you unlimited dynamic QR codes for free. Create a code for ticket sales. Another for the schedule. Another for the map. Update them as details change. No subscription. No expiration. Here's how to run your event's QR infrastructure for zero dollars.
Event QR Code Use Cases (And Why Dynamic Is Essential)
Let me walk through the most common event QR code needs and why dynamic codes are critical.
Ticket sales
Print a QR code on flyers that links to your ticket page. If the early bird tickets sell out, update the destination to point to general admission. If the event sells out, point to a waiting list. Your flyers don't need reprinting.
Event schedule
Create a QR code that links to a Google Doc with the schedule. As speakers change or times shift, update the Google Doc. The QR code stays the same. Attendees always see the latest version.
Volunteer check-in
Print a QR code at the volunteer tent. Volunteers scan to check in, which logs their arrival time. You can link to a simple form (Google Forms) that records their name and time. After the event, you have attendance data.
Sponsor landing pages
Each sponsor gets a QR code on their booth that links to a special offer page. After the event, you can change the destination to a "thank you" page with photos from the day. Sponsors appreciate the ongoing value.
WiFi access
Create a QR code that encodes your WiFi network name and password. Guests scan and connect instantly. No more typing long passwords.
Feedback surveys
After the event, change your main QR codes to point to a feedback survey. People who scanned earlier (for tickets or schedules) might scan again. This gives you valuable post-event data.
Most event QR providers charge per code or per month. They know events are temporary, so they try to extract as much as possible before you leave. Truly Free QR doesn't trap you. Use us for one weekend or one year – same price (free).
Step-by-Step: Set Up QR Codes for Your Event
Here's how to create all the QR codes you need for a successful event.
1. Go to trulyfreeqr.com
No account. No email. Just the generator. I recommend using a desktop computer so you can manage multiple codes.
2. Create a master spreadsheet
Before generating, list every QR code you need: "Ticket sales," "Schedule," "Map," "Volunteer check-in," "Sponsor A," "Sponsor B," "WiFi," "Feedback." Next to each, write the initial destination URL. This keeps you organized.
3. Generate each QR code as dynamic
For each row in your spreadsheet, paste the URL, select "Dynamic," customize colors if desired (use your event's brand colors), and generate. Download each code as SVG. Name the files clearly: "ticket-sales.svg", "schedule.svg", etc.
4. Record every short link in your spreadsheet
After each generation, copy the short link shown for the code. Paste it into your spreadsheet next to the QR code name and its destination. Editing happens in My QR Codes on the browser you used to create the codes, so keep that browser available. For events this matters – schedules change last-minute.
5. Test all codes before printing
Print a test page with all your QR codes. Scan each one with your phone. Make sure they go to the right place. Test on both iPhone and Android if possible. If any fail, regenerate.
6. Print your materials
Send the SVG files to your printer. For large banners, make the QR code at least 4 inches. For flyers, 1 inch is fine. For table tents, 2 inches. Ensure high contrast (dark code on light background).
7. Set up a command center
On the day of the event, have the laptop or tablet you created the codes on, with My QR Codes open. If something changes (e.g., a workshop is moved), edit the code to update the destination immediately. The change is instant – anyone scanning after that moment sees the new info.
8. After the event, repurpose your codes
Don't delete them. Change the destinations to "Thank you for attending – see photos here" or a feedback survey. Keep the codes alive. You might reuse the same physical signs next year – just update the destinations.
Why Truly Free QR Never Expires (And How We Pay for It)
Events are temporary, but your QR codes don't have to be. With Truly Free QR, your codes stay active forever. Even if your event ends, you can keep the codes as a portfolio of past events. Link them to photo galleries or recaps. That's not possible with providers that expire codes after 14 days.
My business model (display advertising) works because event organizers create many codes. More codes = more dashboard visits = more ad views. I don't need to charge you. I just need you to use the tool. It's a virtuous cycle: you get free codes, I get ad revenue. No one holds anyone hostage.
Safe-Scan checks your event link when you create or edit the code: https only, no URL shorteners, and a Google Safe Browsing lookup. That catches a bad link before it reaches your attendees. It does not re-check on every scan, so test your codes before the event and again on the morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Truly Free QR for paid ticketing with a payment link?
Yes. Point your QR code to your ticketing page (Eventbrite, Ticketleap, or your own checkout). When tickets sell out, edit the code in My QR Codes to point to a waiting list or a "sold out" message. The printed QR code still works.
How do I handle check-in at the door with QR codes?
Create a dynamic QR code that links to a Google Form. Volunteers scan the code, which opens the form. They enter the attendee's name or scan their ticket barcode. The form data goes to a spreadsheet. For higher volume, use a dedicated check-in app – but for small events, this works fine.
What if I lose access to the code for my event schedule?
Editing works from the browser where you created the code, so plan for that: create and edit your event codes from one computer, and do not clear its site data before the event. If you lose access, the printed codes keep working with their last destination. Keep a shared document with each code's short link and what it points to, so your team knows which is which.
How does Truly Free QR compare to event-specific QR providers like Ticket QR?
Ticket QR charges $29 per month. They offer features like QR code scanning at the door, ticket validation, and attendee tracking. Truly Free QR is just a code generator – we don't handle ticket validation. For simple events (under 500 people), you can combine our QR codes with free Google Forms for check-in. For larger events, you might need a paid solution.
Can I create a QR code that changes based on time of day?
Not directly. Dynamic QR codes have a single destination at any moment. You can manually change it as the event progresses. If you need automatic time-based redirects, you would need a custom script on your own server. That's beyond my tool's scope.
Is there a limit to how many QR codes I can create for my event?
No. Create as many as you need – one per session, per speaker, per sponsor. There's no limit. The only limit is your patience in generating them one by one (bulk creation coming soon).
The only truly free QR code generator
Unlimited dynamic QR codes. No account. No expiration. No subscription. Ever.
Monetized by advertising, not by locking your printed materials behind a paywall.
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